Today we’d like to introduce you to Xavier Frith.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Fashion has always been a passion for as long as I can remember. My mother constantly reminds me of how I used to stay in the mirror looking at myself and asking her “how do I look?” It’s funny because now I have a son and before we leave the house every day, he always looks in the mirror and asks, “daddy do I look good?” and he’s only five years old. In high school, I was always known for being well dressed, Fresh, so to speak. I kept a job, just to make sure I had the latest fashions; I loved putting pieces together and coming up with different looks. I got my first official start in 2012, styling the CEO of TIG records, Girvan “Fly” Henry. From there, I’ve styled Rich Homie Quan, Cyhi the Prynce, Jacob Latimore, YFN Lucci and a few other up and coming artists that are about to take the rap game by storm. Most of my gigs come from word of mouth, and through my industry connections, including my brother and one of my biggest supporters, young music mogul and serial entrepreneur, Dae’Shawn “Dae Day” Shelton.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wouldn’t say smooth, but I wouldn’t say extremely challenging. When I first got in the game, I had the passion for it, but I had no idea of what goes on behind the scenes. I was only used to dressing myself, and that came effortlessly, but dealing with different people and personalities took some getting used to. I will say it can sometimes be challenging as a stylist to get your clients to trust your vision when you’re having them to step out of their comfort zones…but when they do, the outcome is always amazing.
The most challenging part of my career so far was staying motivated after taking a huge personal loss a few years back. In October of 2017, I lost my brother Jalal “Lal” Ross-Beyah #LongLiveLal …man this was and still is a hard pill to swallow. He was one of the reasons I even started in this industry, he believed in me more than I believed in myself. I’ve experienced loss before, but this one was different, it hit me hard. Grief has its way of messing with your mental, and at times it had me like “what’s the point?”. I felt like he wasn’t here to see me make the moves we always talked about…but shout out to my support system, they keep me going. They’re constantly reminding me that he’s up there with God watching over me and setting up plays on my behalf. I had to change my mindset and see things in a positive light the best way I can.
All in all, I feel as though I have the best job in the world. Not only have I been blessed to do what I love, but I’m the best at what I do, and my work speaks for itself.
Please tell us about Styled By Zay.
I’m more than a stylist, I’m an image consultant. What sets me apart from others is, I like to study my clients…Who they are? What do they do? What do they like? Where they’re going? And when I say, ‘where are they going?’, I’m not just talking about what event they’re attending, I’m speaking of the direction in which their careers are going…who do they strive to be? What do they strive to do? What image do they want to portray? I actually take time to chill and hang out with my clients when the opportunities present themselves…I just like to vibe with them. It’s about more than just one photoshoot or ad campaign…it’s about their image as a whole.
What I am most proud of when it comes to Styled By Zay is really just the fact that I’m doing it. When I first decided to finally jump off the porch, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if I’d be respected in the industry, I didn’t know if they would really f**k with my campaign like that…but everyone shows me so much love. The support, the motivation, the opportunities…this sh*t is dope.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I don’t feel like I would do anything different. Every move that I’ve made, whether good or bad, has made me the person I am today. There’s lessons to be learned in everything you do. Regardless of failure or success, I look at every experience as an opportunity to perfect my craft.
Contact Info:
- Email: Styledbyzay@gmail.com
- Instagram: @pj_zay
Image Credit:
Kelvin Armour of GCode1st Music Group (@gcode1stmusicgroup)
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